Method of and means for freezing ice in small masses



A. LEE EIAL May 20, 1952 METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR FREEZING ICE IN SMALL MASSES 2 SHEETS-51 1 1.

Filed May 24. 1949 INV ENTOR. Aakon La & 11: lieerman.

A. LEE EI'AL May 20, 1952 7 METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR FREEZING ICE IN SMALL MASSES v 2 SI-IEETS-SFEL-T 2 Filed May 24, 1949 v INVENTOR. flaron Lee 8: 11? BY Patented May 20, 1952 UNITED srrss METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR FREEZING ICE IN SMALL MASSES 4 Claims. (Cl. 62-406) This invention relates to a method of and means for freezing ice in small masses. It is now well recognized that to freeze ice in large cakes and then cut or crush it into smaller particles is very wasteful because the large masses themselves present such insulating bodies as to make the freezing of them a slow and expensive proceeding.

It has therefore been proposed in the prior art to freeze the ice in elongated tubes, to then thaw the tube contacting surface of the ice columns and to then discharge the ice columns from the tubes and break them into the lengths corresponding to the ice cubes or cracked ice of commerce. In some of the methods heretofore proposed the discharge of the ice from the tubes was downwardly by gravity while in other cases it was upwardly by flotation into a body of water.

The present invention contemplates the use of city water under normal city main pressure as the medium for both melting the ice enough to permit its ejection from a tube in which it is frozen and as the pressure exerting agency to forcibly expel the ice column from the tube.

The invention further contemplates the provision of breaker plates adjacent the mouths of tubes in which water has been frozen to column form, saidplates being adjustable to break off the ice in any desired dimensions under the ejecting force derived initially from city water main pressure, though such ejecting pressure may be derived from other sources, as hereinafter set forth.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for circulating water from the upper portions of the ice freezing tubes to and vertically through the water standing in said tubes.

A further object of the invention is to provide accumulators associated with said ice freezing tubes in which pressure is stored during the period when city water is turned on but while the ice is frozen in the tubes, said stored pressure being utilized, after the city water is turned off and the columns of ice have been released by partial melting, to thrust the columns of ice upwardly against the breaker plates.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention with two of the defrosting tubes in section;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the machine looking toward the right side of Fig. 1 and with one of the defrosting tubes and associated parts shown in section; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings 5 designates the motor and 6 the compressor of a conventional refrigerating unit. The refrigerating line 1 leads from the compressor in a sinuous path and in series past and in contact with each of a battery of vertical, upstanding freezing tubes 8. The return bends of the evaporator coil, adjacent the lower ends of the several tubes are indicated at while the connecting bends between the coils of the several tubes, are indicated at H]. The line I leads to a conventional expansion valve II, the latterbeing connected byline l2 to the liquid receiver 13 of the refrigerator in the conventional way.

Defrosting sleeves 14, consisting, preferably, of rubber hose and having outwardly flaring open upper ends l5, surround the evaporating coils and the freezing tubes. Clamps 16 at the lower ends of these sleeves bind the sleeves into water tight engagement with the exterior surfaces of the freezing tubes. Individual drain pipes I! which lead from the defrosting sleeves lead to a common header I8. Drain Water is discharged from the sleeves and header under control of an electrical solenoid valve D.

The lower ends of the several freezing tubes are connected by bends 20 with horizontal runs of pipe 2!. Check valves 22 disposed in these horizontal runs permit the flow of city water past said valves and toward the freezing tubes. Communicating with each horizontal run 2|, between the check valve and the freezing tube is a pressure accumulator 23, consisting simply of a closed top tank.

24 designates a city water main from which water at normal city pressure and temperature may be had. An electrically operated solenoid valve \V controls the flow of water from the city water supply main 24 to a header H. A pipe section 25 having a greatly restricted passage 26 constitutes the connection between the check valves 22 and header H. A restricted water bleed line 2'! leads water from header H to' a header 28, from which fine branch pipes 29 discharge water in a limited flow into the open tops of the defrosting jackets l4.

A small centrifugal pump as is disposed in a line3l, leading from an upper header 32 to a lower header 33 and having a check valve 30a in its length. Header 3| is connected by branch pipes 34 to the upper portions of the several freezer tubes 8, while the lower header 33 is connected by branches 33a with the lower portions of tubes 8. The function of the pump 30 is to circulate the water from the unfrozen zone at the tops of the freezing tubes back into the lower portions of the freezing tubes, this action continuing as long as there is an unfrozen path through the freezing tubes. However this pump will not build up pressure after the ice in a tube is frozen, even if the water valve be closed because the pump is of such low capacity as to be capable of a mere circulating action.

The means for actuating the solenoid valves is embodied in the conventional control box 36 of the refrigeratin unit. This control mechanism conventionally comprises a switch arm 3'! that is pivoted at 38 to rock and carries at its inner end a contract bridging element 39. A branch 40 from the line 1 leads to the control box and when the temperature in coil 1 rises, arm 31 is rocked to cause its element 39 to complete a circuit to two conductors 4| and 42. Conductor 4| is one of the leads to motor and with main line switch 43 closed, a circuit will be completed from-positive supply line 44, through arm 31, lead 4 l, motor 5, conductor 45, negative terminal 4'3 to the negative side of the supply line, at 41. The connections so far described are the usual and conventional ones with the exception of conductor 42. This conductor we have added, and it leads to one of the terminals of solenoid actuated drain valve D. The other terminal of said drain valve solenoid is connected by a conductor 48 with negative line 45. We have also added an extension to arm 31, which carries a contact 49. When the temperature and consequently the pressure in coil I have been reduced to the point where the call for cold has been satisfied and arm 31 moves to break its contact with conductors 4| and 42 to stop the refrigerating unit, such movement of the arm causes the contact 49 on the outer extremity of the arm to engage a contact 50 of a conductor 5|. This conductor leads to one of the terminals of the solenoid of water valve W. The other terminal of said solenoid is connected by a conductor 52 with negative line 45. Thus, when the refrigerating unit is stopped the water valve W is opened and drain valve D is closed and when the refrigerating unit starts to operate water valve W closes and drain valve Dv opens. The circulation of the water through freezing tubes 8 serves to get rid of any entrained air and aids in getting clear transparent ice rather than a cloudy or frosty product.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows:

In initially setting the machine in operation main line switch 43 is closed and arm 31 is manually moved to cause its contact 49 to complete the circuit to conductor 5|. This opens water valve W and city water at its usual temperature and pressure flows into header H and thence past the check valves 22 of the bank or freezing units into the freezing tubes 8. The water is caused to flow without too great a speed by passing it through the constricted sections 26. When the tubes 8 have been filled arm 31 is released and moves under its conventional control mechanism to complete the circuits to start the motor 5 to begin the freezing action. This movement of arm 31 also closes the water valve W and opens the drain valve D. The freezing of the ice in the tubes having been completed, the consequent reduction in pressure in coil 1 under the reduced temperature, acts through branch 40 to shift arm 31 to stop the refrigerating unit, open water valve W and close drain valve D. However with the tubes solidly filled with ice the water cannot flow upwardly therein. Some water flows past the check valves 22 and upwardly into the accumulators. The air trapped in the upper portions of the accumulators is consequently compressed to a pressure equal to the pressure in the city main. When the water valve W opened water began to flow into the defroster jackets [4 from line 21. The heat present in this city water acting upon the exterior of tubes 8 quickly thaws the exterior film of the columns of ice in the several tubes and then the elastic pressure of the air in the accumulators acts upon the water in bends 2!] and the lower portions of the tubes, over such an extended period of time as to forcibly expel the ice columns from the tops of the tubes.

We may, if desired, supplement the air pressure in the accumulators through an air supply line A, having a check valve a in its length, which permits the flow of air only into but not out of the accumulators.

As the ice columns are shot forcibly upward under the elastic and continuing pressure from the accumulators their upper ends strike against and are snapped off by overhanging angular portions 55 of deflector plates 55. The deflector plates are vertically adjustable through the medium of slot and bolt connections 51-58 between said plates and a. fixed bar 59 that is secured to the tubes 8. We also attach great importance to our basic idea of utilizing the momentum and velocity of the columns of ice (as they are forcibly ejected under the action of an elastic pressure medium) to snap off in rapid succession successive lengths of the ice column. In this machine, the column of ice is ejected like a shot. A column forty-two inches in length can be ejected in about one second and broken into about two dozen ice cubes. This very rapid ejection could not be had under city water pressure alone.

The deflector plates may be common to a plurality of the tubes 8 as shown at the left of Fig. 1, or each tube may have its own individually adjustable deflector plate as shown at the right hand tube in Fig. 1. This latter arrangement makes it possible to break oflice masses of one length at one tube and of another length at another tube.

After the tubes have been emptied of the ice they can be and are refilled by water flowing through the restricted pipe sections. Then the latent heat of the incoming water causes such increase of pressure in coil 1 as to start the refrigerating unit and cut off the Water at valve W. The operation thereafter is continuous and automatic as long as the main line switch is closed.

The check valves 22 render the portions of the structure lying to the right thereof in Fig. 2 self-contained and independent units in the sense that the pressure built up in an accumulator which has not already acted to discharge its ice column, can not back up into an accumulator which has already discharged its accumulated pressure in ejecting its associated ice column.

We attach great importance to our disclosed basic idea of imposing upon the water at the base of the tubes the continuing pressure of an elastic medium, such as air, to effect such a forceful expulsion of a column of ice as to effect the breaking of the same into desired lengths. By providing this continuing and elastic pressure medium, acting through the length of time necessary to effect the complete expulsion of the ice columns we are not obliged to resort to flotation to assist in getting the ice out of the tubes. This is important because flotation implies that the ice masses must be immersed in water and the resultant meltage is very, very great.

We wish it to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to any specific apparatus but that it includes within its purview such changes in apparatus and arrangement as fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the ap-- pended claims.

What we claim is:

1. The herein described method which consists of freezing water in a vertical open ended tube of such dimensions as to produce a long, slender column of ice, introducing water from a city water main into the lower end of the tube, subjecting the exterior of the tube to freezing action from a refrigerating coil, subjecting the exterior of the tube to contact with some of the city water to effect a defrosting action under the inherent heat of said city water, storing an elastic pressure exerting medium under the action of the pressure of the city water and ejecting the frozen column of ice forcibly out of the top of the tube under the action of the elastic stored pressure.

2. Mechanism of the character described comprising a plurality of units, each comprising a vertically disposed freezing tube having an open upper end, a refrigerant carrier in contact with said tube, a defrosting jacket surrounding both carrier and tube, a city water supply line, a control valve and piping for admitting city water into the lower portion of said tube to be there frozen into a long slender column, an accumulator connected to the water supply piping of each tube and adapted to have air compressed therein by the city water and a check valve in said piping outwardly of the accumulator which compels the pressure in the accumulator to be exerted toward the lower end of the freezing tube to effect a forcible expulsion of the ice column entirely from the tube and fiow restricting means in the piping outwardly of the accumulator which compels the pressure in the accumulator to be exerted toward the lower end of the freezing tube.

3. A machine of the character described comprising in combination a bank of freezing units, each comprising an upstanding, vertical tube, open at its upper end, a refrigerating unit comprising an evaporating coil which leads in series past and in contacting relation with all of said tubes, a defrosting jacket surrounding each freezing tube, a drain for each defrosting jacket, an electrically actuated drain valve, for the defrosting jackets, a conduit connected to a city water main, an electrically actuated water valve controlling the passage of city water to the several freezing units, individual unit pipe connections leading from the lower end of each vertical tube into which city water is delivered from the water valve when said valve is opened, electric circuits in which the said water and drain valves are included and circuit controlling means operating under control of variations in pressure in the evaporating coil, reduction in pressure in the evaporating coil acting through said circuit controlling means to stop the refrigerating unit and open the water control valve and rise in said pressure in the evaporating coil acting through the circuit controlling means to start the refrigerating unit and open the drain valve and means for supplying a defrosting medium to the defrosting jackets after a freezing cycle has been completed.

4. A structure as recited in claim 3 in combination with a pressure accumulator for each freezing unit in which air is trapped and compressed by the city water when the water valve opens.

AARON LEE. ELI LIEBERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,071,465 Huber Feb. 23, 1937 2,145,773 Muffly Jan. 31, 1939 2,149,000 Udell Feb. 28, 1939 2,240,463 Schlumbohm Apr. 29, 1941 2,387,899 Gruner Oct. 30, 1945 2,422,772 Bohn June 24, 1947 

